UHF and VHF Radio frequencies

With regards to the monitoring of radio frequencies:

This came into effect recently as obviously ICASA has had some issues or possibly complaints from either a private/commercial or on a law enforcement level (Police/Metro/NI/NPA), about frequency monitoring that someone has noticed.

This will apply for the following:
License holders of private licenses for UHF/VHF and 29MHz frequencies.
It is unclear about how this affects the monitoring of 446.x MHz channels as they are public channels (Zartek radios anyone?) but I know we will be reformatting our radios as to remove those channels anyways as they are insecure and simplex (the majority of CPFs have repeaters, as do we).

ALL CPF EXCO Members, CPF forums and sub-forums.

PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS TO EVERY CPF RADIO REPEATER LICENSE HOLDER IN OUR *** PRECINCT AS WELL AS *** AND ALL OTHER FREQUENCIES THAT WE ARE IN COMMUNICATION WITH.

ICASA have INSTRUCTED me to forward the following instructions to all CPFS:

1. You must at all times have an up to date list of all the radio frequencies programmed on your radios with you.

2. You must also have a data base of all radio owners in your region, with names and adresses.

3. It is a legal requirement to also have a letter of permission and approval with you, from every frequency holder whose frequency you are monitoring on your radio.

4. Failing to comply in this regard, may lead to prosecution and or confiscation of radio transmission equipment.

Because of the above legal requirements, I need you, as a matter of urgency, TO FORWARD TO ME, AND EVERY OTHER CPF a letter of permission to have ALL your frequencies and sub-forum frequencies programmed on each other’s radios. Please also quote your ICASA license number in this letter.

Please treat this with extreme urgency as ICASA is very persistant in this regard and will enforce the law if necessary. If we do not comply, ICASA have the right to confiscate all radio equipment found monitoring frequencies without the required documentation.

The moratorium on radio frequency licenses for CPF’s is still in place and ICASA is still NOT issueing new duplex license frequencies to CPF’s untill further notice.

No dates have been quoted i.t.o when the moratorium may be lifted.

Originally Posted by Rickster

Why is everyone going ape **** over this car, it looks like junk and the performance must be too.

Yeah. And as an example, we have to get written permission from neighbouring CPFs to monitor their channels (for instance the "inter-CPF" channel).

I do however wonder how they will be bringing this down on the vultures - they are the main culprits in the whole frequency monitoring business as they monitor fire brigade and ambulance services's channels.

Originally Posted by Rickster

Why is everyone going ape **** over this car, it looks like junk and the performance must be too.

Other than an unannounced raid, I can't see how they could possibly catch you out. Sounds like codswallop TBH unless you're actively demodulating and intercepting transmissions, makes sense then since it's eavesdropping.